Are you interested in hiking in Sapporo while you are visiting the city? Fortunately, nature is very close to the city. Here is a hike that I did from Maruyama Park to Mt Moiwa via the summit of Maruyama Mountain and Arashiyama Memorial Park.

Video log: Hiking in Sapporo

Starting point: Maruyama Park

Getting to Maruyama Park is easy from most places in Sapporo. From Sapporo’s Odori station, you can take the Tozai (orange) line to Maruyama Koen Station and then walk 500 metres (0.3 miles) to the park’s eastern entrance. This is where I started my hike.

Maruyama Park is a park many locals like to spend time in to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life. It is known for its lush greenery and beautiful landscapes. It is especially famous for its cherry blossoms in the spring, attracting numerous visitors who enjoy hanami (flower viewing) picnics. In autumn, the park transforms into a vibrant tapestry of fall colours, providing a picturesque setting for strolls and photography. The park has also two major attractions in Sapporo: Hokkaido Jingu (a large and important Shinto shrine) and Sapporo Zoo.

I started my hike at the eastern entrance and headed for the Maruyamainari Shrine, which serves as the entrance to the Maruyama Primeval Forest and the start of the trail up Maruyama Mountain. This walk is 1.1 km (approximately 0.7 miles) to reach the summit, where you have excellent views of the city.

From here I descended down the back path that leads towards one of the zoo’s entrances, stopping just before reaching the end and turning off instead into the neighbourhood located to the southwest.

From there I walked along roads until I reached Arashiyama Memorial Park. This is not shown in the video above and was 1.3 km (0.8 miles).

Arashiyama Memorial Park

Arashiyama Memorial Park is located on the outskirts of Sapporo, in the western part of the city. It is a serene and picturesque park that offers visitors a peaceful retreat from the urban hustle and bustle. The park is known for its beautiful landscapes, well-maintained walking paths, and the historical significance associated with the various memorials throughout the month.

Natural Beauty: The park is characterised by its rolling hills, dense forests, and scenic views. It provides a tranquil environment that is perfect for leisurely walks, picnics, and nature observation. The park is especially beautiful during the spring and autumn seasons when the cherry blossoms and fall foliage are at their peak.

Continuing the hike: Asahiyama Urban Environmental Forest and Mt Moiwa

Arashiyama Memorial Park is located on the side of a hill with a steep slope. While it makes it more of an effort to hike, it does give you some amazing views over Sapporo, so in my opinion it is worth it.

Directly “behind” Arashiyama Memorial Park is the Asahiyama Urban Environmental Forest, which sits on the slope of Mt Moiwa and is the start of the ascent of the mountain, ending at the Mt Moiwa Observation Deck.

The hike in the forest and up the side of the mountain is through a thicker forest than previous parts of the hike. The slope gradient is also much higher, so in some parts, there are a lot of switchbacks and steps that you also need to climb. You can see more of this in the YouTube video towards the start of this article.

Mt Moiwa Observation Deck

The observation deck sits at the summit of the mountain. You can access it by hiking (like I did), a combination of driving and then ski lifts from the southeast side, or via a ropeway glass cable car from the north side. It operates from 10:30 to 21:30 (except winter, when it is from 11:00 to 21:30) and a one-way ticket costs ¥1,050 (so ¥2,100 round trip).

From here you should have amazing views of the city, at least when it is not cloudy!

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